Wānaka arts trust 'disappointed' as council sidelines project

Despite some heavyweight endorsement, a project led by a group of passionate locals to establish a new facility for the arts in Wānaka has reached a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, making its future uncertain.

The Wānaka Arts and Culture Charitable Trust had sought multimillion dollar buy in from the Queenstown Lakes District Council for its proposed Three Parks theatre and gallery, but the council has indicated the project will not be included in its ten year Long Term Plan.

The trust is now considering its future.

Chair Michael Sidey says the trust is disappointed to see the project excluded from the council plan after early promising conversations with staff and councillors.

"Unfortunately, despite their encouragement and our commitment of substantial capital support and donor funding, council eventually deemed it unworthy," he says in a statement to media this week.

"It has decided Project Manama in Queenstown is its priority. We respect that decision, but not the reasons given for our proposal being rejected."

Project Manawa is the name given to a proposed development at a site on Stanley Street in Queenstown's CBD that would include a new council headquarters, a public library, a performing and visual arts centre, a town square and a transportation hub.

Mr Sidney says the trust will now formally write to district mayor Glyn Lewers and councillors requesting an outline of how the council plans to provide the district with what the trust believes to be "an essential arts facility".

The trust had generated funding to run the numbers for its own project, using industry specialists to gain a clear picture of what would be needed to both build and run the facility.

"The advice was that the project was do-able and realistic," Mr Sidey says.

Another report had compared 10 potential sites for the project, landing on Three Parks as the most desirable spot.

Meanwhile Helen Clark ONZ, Sir Sam Neill, Justine Cormack DMA, Sir Ian Taylor, and Rima Te Wiata are all onboard as project 'ambassadors', with Prue Lady Wallis as patron.

"This commitment unequivocally reflects the importance the community places on the arts," Mr Sidey says.

"We've seen a number of passionate younger locals come forward and say they want to help make this a reality and this enthusiasm gives us all energy to continue fighting for this important facility.

"We hope the council takes note."

Mr Sidey acknowledges fellow trustees Mark Verbiest, Alistair King, Kirsty Hazledine, Chris Hadfield, Allan Dippie and Annis Somerville, who "freely gave their time, expertise, enthusiasm and funds" to progress the project to date.

"We remain hopeful this essential infrastructure will eventually come to fruition."

The Long Term Plan is still in draft form, but it is scheduled to be approved by the council in the coming weeks.

Main image (Supplied/RTA Studios): An architect's vision for a performing and visual arts centre backed by a local trust in Wānaka.